Esther
From Ancient Greek Ἐσθήρ (Esthḗr), from Biblical Hebrew אֶסְתֵּר (ʾestēr).
Every Esther since 1880 — 272,206 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Esther
Esther is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #119 in 2025 with 2,277 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 272,206 American babies have been named Esther. Its peak came in 1918, when 6,588 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Esther stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Esther year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,277 | #119 | — | — |
| 2024 | 2,220 | #130 | — | — |
| 2023 | 2,026 | #138 | — | — |
| 2022 | 2,088 | #138 | 5 | #12,932 |
| 2021 | 1,847 | #153 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,832 | #148 | 5 | #12,631 |
| 2019 | 1,732 | #165 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,860 | #151 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,836 | #165 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,814 | #182 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,625 | #203 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,669 | #199 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,440 | #222 | 7 | #9,985 |
| 2012 | 1,344 | #238 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,356 | #233 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,259 | #260 | 6 | #11,176 |
| 2009 | 1,254 | #260 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,282 | #267 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,261 | #272 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,158 | #287 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,203 | #273 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,114 | #294 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,103 | #283 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,059 | #296 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,072 | #293 | — | — |
| 2000 | 982 | #323 | — | — |
| 1995 | 924 | #300 | — | — |
| 1990 | 983 | #283 | 7 | #6,644 |
| 1985 | 859 | #288 | 7 | #5,331 |
| 1980 | 842 | #295 | — | — |
| 1975 | 716 | #320 | — | — |
| 1970 | 726 | #348 | — | — |
| 1965 | 966 | #280 | 9 | #2,856 |
| 1960 | 1,361 | #234 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,569 | #201 | 5 | #4,032 |
| 1950 | 1,740 | #162 | 8 | #2,849 |
| 1945 | 1,467 | #160 | 5 | #3,473 |
| 1940 | 1,900 | #131 | 15 | #1,833 |
| 1935 | 2,542 | #94 | 19 | #1,608 |
| 1930 | 3,350 | #77 | 22 | #1,576 |
| 1925 | 4,726 | #56 | 20 | #1,754 |
| 1920 | 6,068 | #39 | 17 | #1,985 |
| 1915 | 6,321 | #33 | 16 | #1,816 |
| 1910 | 2,378 | #38 | 11 | #1,003 |
| 1905 | 1,993 | #34 | 10 | #804 |
| 1900 | 2,017 | #39 | 6 | #1,213 |
| 1895 | 1,803 | #31 | 16 | #512 |
| 1890 | 619 | #75 | 6 | #928 |
| 1885 | 320 | #92 | — | — |
| 1880 | 198 | #104 | — | — |
Famous people named Esther
- Esther Religious figure · -600–-500
- Esther Williams Actor · 1921–2013
- Esther Ofarim Singer · b. 1941
- Esther Brand Athlete · 1922–2015
- Esther Duflo Economist · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Esther mean?
From Ancient Greek Ἐσθήρ (Esthḗr), from Biblical Hebrew אֶסְתֵּר (ʾestēr).
How popular is the name Esther in 2025?
Esther ranked #119 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,277 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Esther?
272,206 babies have been named Esther in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Esther most popular?
Esther peaked in 1918, when 6,588 newborns received the name.
Is Esther a boy or girl name?
Esther is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Esther rising or falling?
Esther is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Esther?
Well-known people named Esther include Esther (religious figure), Esther Williams (actor), Esther Ofarim (singer).